Beware of the Overprotective Brothers
by mississippimudpiecraves
Summary: Kankuro and Gaara gang up to play various tricks on Shikamaru as a means of warning him off their sister while Shikamaru visits Suna on the Hokage's orders.


**Today marks one year since my first fanfiction was posted! Hurray! So here's a short one-shot to all of you readers who have made this past year wonderful! :D**

 **This is set at the early stages of Temari and Shikamaru's relationship. Also, this is kind of a new format that I experimented with. Hope you enjoy!**

The sun had already set in the sky and darkness encroached over the earth. A pony-tailed ninja safely arrived at Suna at the behest of the Hokage.

"Kazekage-sama, I, Shikamaru Nara, have come to deliver this highly sensitive package from the Hokage," he intoned.

Gaara inclined his head in acknowledgement and said, "I thank you, Nara-san. Do convey my gratitude to the Hokage. Place it here on the table." Shikamaru followed.

"So how long will you be here, Nara?" Kankuro said impatiently, who stood by Gaara's side. The older brother held Nara in a hard, calculating stare. Fingers tapped incessantly against his thigh, awaiting the answer of the Konoha ninja.

Unaffected by the animosity Kankuro exuded, Shikamaru answered lightly, "Oh, I was given a day's rest and then I'll be on my way."

"One whole day to mess with my sister, is it," Kankuro sneered, irritated that he had not dented Shikamaru's composure.

"Excuse me?" Shikamaru said, taken aback. Kankuro smirked, slightly satisfied.

"We know you and Temari are in a relationship. But we haven't given our approval yet as to whether or not we like it. So don't think you can just do anything to her while you're here," he snarled.

"Um, I see." Shikamaru blinked, unsure exactly how to act.

Gaara reprimanded his brother, "Kankuro, he is our guest. Do not frighten him." Relief slackened Shikamaru's shoulders. "Nara-san, we hope you enjoy your stay here. You may go."

Shikamaru bowed respectfully and quickly took his leave.

"What is our plan of action?" Gaara asked quietly, staring at the door where Shikamaru left.

Kankuro faced his brother and his mouth curved into a grin full of wickedness.

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Act One

"Tem, your brothers might see. Kankuro already threatened me not to do anything to you," he mumbled against her lips.

She had him against the wall, kissing vigorously. "Who cares about him." Then she started to unzip his jacket.

"Hey, not here. Anyone might see. I'm here on Hokage's orders, remember. I can't be seen like this," he said as his hands slid around the curve of her bottom and pressed her closer to him.

She chuckled at his perverseness. "My room's this one." She reached out, turned the knob and pushed opened the door. Hooking her fingers onto his shirt, she pulled him in after her.

A few hours later, in the wee hours of the morning, Shikamaru went stumbling out the door and nearly yelled. A human-sized puppet hung limply before him. It had a ponytail, two X's for eyes, a tongue hanging out and wore the same clothes as Shikamaru's usual jounin outfit.

He released his breath when he realized that it was inanimate. He edged around it completely before setting off into a run.

At the other corner, two brothers were guffawing.

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Act Two

Temari and Shikamaru sat next to each other at the breakfast table. The table nearly spanned the entire hall and mimicked its rectangular shape. Gaara was settled at the head of the table while Kankuro was situated next to him and across the two.

"Slept well, Nara?" Temari teased, a smile playing about her lips.

The male siblings stared at him. He squirmed. "Um yeah, it was fine."

"Just fine?" It was Temari's turn to stare at him.

He swallowed. "It was great."

Kankuro growled.

Temari grinned. "Oh, have a taste of this. This is Suna's national dish." She placed some on his plate and her plate. She gestured for him to eat then took a bite from hers.

He observed the gooey substance before him and grimaced. Sighing, he took a spoonful and raised it to his open mouth. When he ingested it, he started sputtering. Bits of powder-like substance spewed out from his mouth.

There was muffled laughter from the other side.

"What is that? Who put brown powder on your share? That's strange," Temari said while rubbing his back.

 _Powder? More like sand, I bet,_ Shikamaru thought as he squinted towards the brothers who remained oddly quiet while Temari gave him a glass of water.

He peeked at them again. Lips pressed thinly, rigid bodies, hands fisted. _Ah, irritated rather that Temari is paying more attention to me,_ he thought smugly.

 _Good_ , he thought savagely.

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Act three

Temari convinced Shikamaru for a friendly spar. And somehow Shikamaru managed to trap her in his shadows again. Frustrated, Temari struggled against the intangible bonds to no avail. Shikamaru sauntered closer until his face was a breath away from hers. Just as he was about to close the gap, a whirlwind of sand swept him a few feet away. Temari broke free from her bonds, rushing towards Shikamaru.

Shikamaru had fallen like a log after being taken into the eye of the storm so to speak.

Temari shook him roughly about the shoulders. "Hey, hey, wake up, this isn't funny."

No response forthcoming. She leaned closer and yelped when she was flipped over onto her back with him straddling her.

Capturing her hand which was about to smack him on the chest, he smirked as he bent to continue their earlier activity.

From faraway, two pairs of eyes glared.

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Act Four

Temari took him up to the top of the tower. Just as they were about to sit and enjoy the view, Shikamaru got swept away by a gust of sand once more and slammed into a nearby tree trunk. Groaning, just as he managed to get a hold of the tree, a grim-looking puppet with blood-red eyes and scaly skin appeared around the trunk. Yelling, he jumped backwards and almost fell but he grabbed onto the slim tree branch.

In seconds, Temari flew by on her fan and rescued him.

For a few moments, he just held onto her. Smiling gently, she whispered into his ear, "Why don't we take this to my room? This time, my terms."

Before he could utter a word of protest that it was usually her terms, she swept them off towards the window of her room and into her room.

Sand was heard swirling violently about. Puppets clanked against each other in fury.

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The next morning

"Kazekage-sama, I take my leave. Thank you for your hospitality." Shikamaru bowed and took off.

"Finally!" Kankuro sighed happily.

"What do you mean?" a female voice threatened behind him.

Kankuro turned to see his sister in a fighting stance complete with a death grip on her tessen.

"Don't think I haven't figured out what you've been doing to Shikamaru all of yesterday."

"Hey, it wasn't only me. It was... Hey Gaara!" He turned to see Gaara fleeing away in a cloud of sand. "Shit."

Temari charged towards him and he ran as if his life depended on it.

Which to be honest and to go by the rage on his sister's face, it probably did.


End file.
